In South Korea, Genesis GV80 is powered by a 3.0-litre six-cylinder Diesel engine producing 278 PS and 590 Nm
Genesis has finally revealed the long sought after GV80 luxury vehicle, the brand’s first sport-utility vehicle. As expected, the GV80 comes with an assortment of firsts for the Genesis brand and it includes a six-cylinder diesel, electronically controlled suspension with road preview and active noise control. Unveiled at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) in Seoul, Genesis says the V in the GV80 represents versatility.
It accompanies the G70, G80 and G90 sedans as the interior and exterior styling is a collaboration between Genesis’ Design studios in South Korea, United States and Germany. On the outside, the GV80 adorns the signature Genesis elements with crest grille, parabolic line running smoothly along the sides, ‘power lines’ above each wheel, quad amps flanking the grille and G-Matrix pattern appearing in light fixtures, also available on 22-inch wheels, inspired by orchids on illuminated diamonds.
The GV80 is made up go hot-stamped, high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum on doors, bonnet and tailgate. The interior of GV80 is said to follow South Korean architectural philosophy with the G-Matrix pattern as a motif. The wideness of the cabin was emphasised through sleek, thin air vent design along with a 14.5-inch, split-screen infotainment display sitting atop the dashboard. The presence of soft materials and less use of physical buttons further enhance the aesthetic and upmarket appeal.
The ornate center control unit covers an electronic, shift-by-wire transmission base with dial-style shift. Handwriting recognition through the Genesis Integrated Controller helps in setting destination or enter phone numbers without having to operate a keyboard on the navigation screen. Augmented reality navigation, world’s first application of Road-Noise Active Noise Control (RANC) and active motion driver’s seat and an air purification system are other major highlights.
The Genesis GV80 sits on a RWD platform while AWD is an option. In South Korea, it gets an exclusive 3.0-litre six-pot diesel making 278 PS and 590 Nm. The standard five-seater is claimed to return 11.8 kmpl when shod on 19-inch wheels. The all-wheel drive system features Multi-Terrain Control with Sand, mud and snow modes while the electronically controlled Limited Slip Differential at the rear axle makes the life far easier on tough surface conditions.
Electronically controlled suspension with road preview, another Genesis first, helps provide passengers with optimal ride comfort by recognizing information on the road ahead in advance through front cameras and navigation information. The electronically controlled suspension with road preview employs intelligent ADAS camera to detect obstacles like speed bumps and adjusts damping forces.
The array of advanced active and passive safety systems includes Smart Cruise Control with Machine Learning, Highway Driving Assist II, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Alert Warning, 10 standard airbags and so on.
The GV80 will go on sale this month in South Korea and customers will have multiple choices to configure their own vehicle. It is no secret that Genesis is considering an entry into India and it could happen with the smaller GV70 based on Tucson’s platform.